Exhaust mechanism for locomotives.



No. 652,963. Patented July 3, I900. H. H. HUFF. EXHAUST MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filedNov. 6, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 652,963. Paten ted July 3, I900:

' H. H; HUFF.

' EXHAUST MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATE T ()FFICE.

TO ARTHUR D. CURRAN, OF SAME PLACE,

OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

AND SMITH P. BURTON, JR.,

EXHAUST MECHANISM FOR Locomotives.

snncmrca'rron forming part of Letters Patent no. 652,963, dated m a, 1900.

. l Application filed November 6, 1899. Serial No. 736,900- (No model.)

Mechanism for Locomotives, of which the fol:

lowing is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to locomotive or other steam engines having the exhaust-pipes of the cylinders terminating in a smoke-box and ar-v ranged to conduct and discharge the exhauststeam into a draft-pipe between the exhaust and the smoke-stack in the usualmanner;

The invention has for its object to provide I means for diverting a portion of the exhauststeam from the exhaust-pipe at a point between the cylinder and the exhaust-nozzle, so that the volume of steam from said outlet may bejdiminished, and thereby diminishing the force of the draft where the latter is excessive under varying conditions of the operation of the engine, and whereby the back pressure uponthe piston is obviated.

The invention also has for its object to pro-. 2 5 vide-means to return the exhaust-steam whichhas been diverted from the exhaust-pipes in such manner that there may be a continuous flow of exhaust-steam through, the exhaustnozzle and the forcezof the exhaust proper be exerted-uniformly instead of spasmodically.

The invention has also for its object to provide improved means whereby the volume of exhaust-steam may be varied in its passage from the cylinders to the exhaust-nozzles, and

thus form a variableexha-ust. r 1

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed td. describe and claim.

0f the accompanying drawings, forming a 0 part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of the forward part of a locomotive-engine providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 represents asection on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the saddle-casting to-which the cylinders. are attahedand in which the exhaustpassages are located and to which are attached other devices hereinafter described.

Fig. represents a section on line ,4 4 of-Fig. 6. Fig. 4 represents ,an end view of the. valve. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. The same letters ofreference indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the saddlecasting, -to.'which the cylinders!) b are at-' tached.

. 02" represent the steam-chests, f f the'usual steam-pipes, which conduct. steam from the boiler ,to the steam-chests, and 6 represents the smoke-box, all beingof the usual or any suitableconstruction. v g represents the -exh*aust-nozzle,"which is connected by passages 71. h with the cylinders and receives the exhaust therefrorn'in the usual way.

i 'i represent branch passages extending from the passages h h to the rear end of the saddle a. Y

j j represent branches of the pipe 3', said I branches being connected with the passages a, cylindrical chamber 7' located *close to-the rear end of the saddle-casting. ,The chamber 7' is of sufiicient capacity to. receiveand store a portion of the exhaust-steam from either cylinder, so that when. the chamber is closed andthe pipej is its only outlet as -well as its only inlet (this being the case when the valve 1, hereinafter described, is adjusted to cover an outlet-pipe is, leading from thecylinder) the chamber is'convertedinto a reservoir,

. i e" and to the pipe j which com municateswith which alternately receives portion of the exhaust through one of mop po rapa the pipe j and permits; the said portion to"return 5 through the pipe j and the other pipe j 4 to the exhaust nozzle g. This return movement from the chamber or eservoir to the exhaust 2 esaees j to the exhaust-nozzle. The said nozz e is at this time free. for the passage of the steam from the chamber j through it before the escape of the succeeding exhaust, which comes from the opposite or left-hand cylinder and operates through the chamber j in the manner just described. 4

It will be seen that by the provision of the chamber or reservoir j, connected, as de-,

scribed, with the cylinders and with the exhaust-nozzle, I am enabled to divert a portion of the steam from the exhaust-passage on one side of the engine to that of the opposite side,

- each exhaust-passage being free when the other is in use, so-that a practically-continuous flow of steam through-the exhaust nozzle or outlet is assured. Such continuous flowis of advantage when working the engine in full gear on a heavy grade or in leaving stations, as the increased opening neutralizes the draft upon the fire and does away with back pressure in the cylinders. Moreover, the continuoussupply to the exhaust-nozzle while utilizing all the exhaust-steam obviates the tearing away of the fire which is caused by the ordinary spasmodic action when the supply of exhaust-steam is intermittent. f

If desirable, I cando away with the auxiliary exhaust by entirely covering the opening j into the chamberj' with the valve 1, which may be done to advantage when the engine is working light at high speed and needs a stronger draft upon the fire, or I may cover the opening j partially with the valve 1, so as to vary the volume of the exhaust entering the chamberj', the arrangement being such that a variable-exhaust nozzle is thus provided, the variation corresponding with the position of the valve Z in regard to the opening 7.

In some cases I find it desirable to provide the chamber 7 with anoutlet which permits the discharge into the atmosphere or else-. where of the steam diverted from the exhaust and entering the said chamber instead of allowing the steam to pass to the exhaust-nozzle. Such outlet is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 as a pipe k, connected with the upper portion of the chamber and arranged out of alinement with the pipe j, the arrangement of the pipe is being such that the valve 1, which I have beforealiuded to','maybe"adjusted to close the pipe is without closing the pipe j. When the pipes j and kare both open,

as shown in Fig. 4, the portion of the exhaust that enters the chamber 9 escapes through the pipe k, so that the force of the exhaust through the nozzle g is diminished.

The valve Z is preferably a ring or hollow cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4, so that said valve will not reduce the area of the chamb'erj, steam passing freely through said valve and filling practically all parts of the cylinder when the valve is adjusted to close the outlet 7.. Suitable connections are provided between the valve 1 and the reverse-lever of the locomotive for moving the valve, said connections including a rod or stem j, attached to the spider-framej of the valvel and extending through a stufiing-box or packed bearing j, formed in one end of the chamber j, and acollarj,adjustably attached to the stem j" by a suitable set-screw or other means and having a stud or roll j, which enters a cam-groovej" in a slidej Said slide is movable in a fixed guide or casing j and has a rod j", which is'suitably connected with the reverse-lever of the engine, the arrangement being preferably such that when the engine is working full gear the valve 1 is in the position to close the outlet k, and thus cause the chamber j to alternately receive exhaust-steam and supply it to the exhaustnozzle, as above described.

Owing to the fact that the means for obtaining the continuous supply of exhauststeam to the exhaust-nozzle and for varying the exhaust are located entirely' outside of the smoke-box of the engine, corrosion that would be caused by the heat, oil, and cinders, is obviated.

I claim- 1. The combination with the cylinders, ex-

haust-passages, and exhaust-nozzle, of a reservoir, and connections between said reservoir and the exhaust-passages, the connectiens being such that the reservoir is caused to alternately receive and deliver exhauststeam through said connections, and means for controlling the passage of steam into and out of said reservoir.

2. The combination with the cylinders, exhaust-passages, and exhaust-nozzle, of a reservoir, pipes j'j communicating with the two exhaust-passages, a single pipe j connecting the pipesj j with the reservoir, and a valve adapted to open and close the pipe j.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY II. HUFF.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN,\ Gno. M. CARPENTER. 

